The Commission on Presidential Debates is expected to announce today that Jacksonville
University has been named one of the handful of U.S. colleges under consideration
to host a Presidential or Vice Presidential Debate in 2016. We also expect that Jacksonville
University will be the only school from Florida to make the list of proposed sites.

After reviewing sites selected in the past and doing considerable due diligence, we
established an initial team here to review the application requirements and details.
We determined that Jacksonville University could, indeed, realistically undertake
such an ambitious endeavor.

Over the past 24 months, we have worked to move Jacksonville University beyond its
borders and into the world beyond. We have actively engaged with the Arlington community
and are helping provide leadership to rebuild this historic neighborhood. We have
sought and obtained support from the State of Florida for our initiatives at a level
never pursued in the past. We are actively recruiting students from beyond Florida
and have made a firm commitment to bringing more international students to the University.
Seeking this prestigious event is the next step toward opening Jacksonville University
to the world.

Our being selected for this short list of possible sites is not a guarantee of being
awarded the opportunity to host. It is, however, a sign of our commitment as a University
to actively raising the quality of every aspect of how we accomplish our mission and
to seek the opportunities that place Jacksonville University alongside the best institutions
in the nation.

While the Commission is not expected to announce which locations were chosen until
fall 2015, there will be much work to be done. Following the example of our colleagues
who have tread this path before us, this will be a comprehensive effort by all areas
of the institution and we will engage all of you in this bold challenge.

Thank you for your continued support and the tremendous effort you put forth every
day to make us a world-class University.